15 Dangerous Drugs Big Pharma Shoves Down Your Throat

December 09, 2010
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Writing in AlterNet, Martha Rosenberg says:

"In the pharmaceutical industry's rush to get drugs to market, safety usually comes last.

Long studies to truly assess a drug's risks just delay profits after all -- and if problems do emerge after medication hits the market, settlements are usually less than profits. Remember, Vioxx still made money."

Here are some of the drugs she identifies as being so plagued with safety problems, it's astonishing they're on the market:

Lipitor and Crestor

These worthless statins are so over-prescribed that far too many patients get their side effects -- such as weakness, dizziness, pain and arthritis.

Yaz and Yasmin

These birth control pills were so hyped in their advertisements that they sounded too good to be true -- and they were. 18-year-olds experienced blood clots, gall bladder disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

(I would add ALL birth controls are dangerous and should be avoided. In my view there is virtually no reason to ever take these dangerous and completely synthetic hormones.)

Lyrica, Topomax and Lamictal

These epilepsy seizure drugs are now prescribed for pain. But all seizure drugs increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and all three drugs can make you lose your memory and your hair.

Humira, Prolia and TNF Blockers

Not only are biologics like Humira and Prolia made from genetically engineered hamster cells, and not only do they suppress your actual immune system, but they can lead to tuberculosis, lethal infections, melanoma, lymphoma and "unusual cancers in children and teenagers". In addition, the Humira warns against the possible side effect of "new or worsening" psoriasis -- a condition it is supposed to treat.

(These drugs should be banned. No reason to EVER take any of them as there are loads of natural therapies that are far superior. Please use my site as resource to find out which ones you can use in these autoimmune conditions like MS, RA and Crohn's.Disease)

Chantix

After 397 reported cases of possible psychosis, 227 domestic reports of suicidal behavior and 28 suicides, the U.S. government banned pilots and air traffic controllers and interstate truck and bus drivers from taking Chantix. It is also linked to angioedema, serious skin reactions, visual impairment, accidental injury, dizziness, muscle spasms, seizures and loss of consciousness.

Ambien

Sleeping pills like Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata and Rozerem only decrease get-to-sleep time by 18 minutes. Then Ambien adds in somnambulism side effects -- people walk, drive, make phone calls and even have sex while they are sleeping.

Tamoxifen

Tamoxifen causes cancer and birth defects. One study showed that 57.2 percent of women on continuous Tamoxifen developed atrophy of the lining of the uterus, 35.7 coexisting hyperphasia and 8.1 percent uterine polyps.

Boniva

After you take Boniva, you have to avoid lying down for at least 60 minutes to "help decrease the risk of problems in the esophagus and stomach." Then you need to wait at least 60 minutes before eating or drinking anything except water, and you must never take it with mineral water, sparkling water, coffee, tea, milk, juice or other oral medicines -- including calcium, antacids, or vitamins.

(I would most definitely include ALL the biphosphonates here, like Fosamax. They are dangerous, loaded with side effects, do not lower fracture risk and should never be taken unless you want to further enrich the drug industry coffers)

The list above includes many of the most dangerous drugs, but the reality is that there's no shortage of dangerous drugs. Even commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are not as benign as most people assume. This is because they are fatally flawed from the get-go, as they in no way shape or form address the cause of the disease and only treat symptoms, which is typically a prescription for disaster if used for the long term.

Is there Such a Thing as a Safe Drug?

It's important to understand that even under the best circumstances -- such as with a drug that has gone through unbiased, stringent, long-term testing -- when it is released into the uncontrolled environment of your body, literally anything can happen.

This is largely because the FDA does not require independent testing but relies on the tests the drug company submits to them, which are flawed.

More Dangerous Drugs

Advair – Thisasthma medicine can make your asthma deadly... It contains the long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) salmeterol, which researchers have found can increase the severity of an asthma attack. Salmeterol-containing drugs such as Advair contributes to an estimated 5,000 asthma-related deaths each year in the US alone.

Avandia (rosiglitazone) – This diabetes drug canmake your health go from bad to worse, as it can cause a heart attack. One study found that people who took rosiglitazone for at least a year increased their risk of heart failure or a heart attack by 109 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

Celebrex --This painkiller has been linked to increased risks of stomach bleeding, kidney trouble, and liver damage. And, according to a 2005 study, people taking 200 mg of Celebrex twice a day more than doubled their risk of dying of cardiovascular disease. Those on 400 mg twice a day more than tripled their risk.

Insulin. While this hormone can save your life if you are a type 1 diabetic, it is predominately prescribed for type 2 diabetics, which is the kiss of death. If you or anyone you know has type 2 diabetes and is on insulin, have them read this article by Dr. Rosedale and get off this insulin ASAP.

Americans are Dangerously Over-Drugged

It's important to remember that whenever you chose to treat disease symptoms with a drug, if you take that drug long enough it will invariably end up creating other health problems. This frequently leads to yet another prescription to counteract the side effects from the first one, followed by another one, and another…

It's a vicious cycle that is clearly evident when you review the statistics of prescriptions, which have exploded over the last 75 years.

In 1929, the average American received less than two prescriptions per year. According to the latest statistics from 2009, the average annual prescription rate per capita in the United States is now:

Almost 4 prescriptions per child (age 0-18)

Just over 11 prescriptions per adult (age 19-64), and

More than 31 prescriptions per senior, aged 65 and over!

If these drugs could successfully treat and cure disease, the United States would have the healthiest inhabitants on the planet, based on these statistics. Instead, the rates of preventable diseases like diabetes have skyrocketed, and we're seeing a mounting death toll directly attributable to prescription drugs.

It doesn't have to be that way. I haven't taken drugs in years and my mother is 76 and my dad is 82 and both are drug free because they have been following my health advice.

Do You REALLY Need Those Drugs?

In more recent years, a growing body of studies shows that simple lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise are effective remedies for many common health problems. At the same time, we're seeing more and more evidence of the lethal harm being brought by poorly tested drugs.

To me, the choice is clear.

But a lot of people still do not realize just how effective lifestyle changes can be in treating their disease. Many diabetics, for example, are convinced they need drugs, and resist the idea that treating or even curing their disease is entirely within their own control.

The truth is, type 2 diabetes is virtually 100 percent avoidable and treatable entirely without drugs. If you're still in the dark about how to accomplish this, please see this link.

To Medicate or Not to Medicate, That is the Question

Ultimately, it's your body, and it's up to you to decide what works for you.

However, I urge you to research each drug before taking it. Do not believe for one minute that your physician will have all the answers and all the latest research findings at his or her fingertips. They won't.

Most of the knowledge they have comes directly from the lips of drug reps.

Make sure you are aware of the potential side effects of the drug, read the package insert, and remember that even if it lists a side effect as rare, it can still happen to you. Then decide whether the potential benefits truly outweigh the potential risks.

Take Control of Your Health

If you make drugs a last option, not a first choice, you will have taken a major step in the right direction.

It may require a massive thought shift for some people to accept that your body can heal itself and that drugs oftentimes will only hinder the process. But I can't stress enough the importance of the most basic principle of HOW to resolve an illness: finding the underlying cause of the problem.

Masking it with a drug that lessens your symptoms does not fix anything. Disease can only be resolved by addressing its root cause.

What many people fail to realize is that it is possible to maintain optimal health by simply avoiding unnecessary drugs and by understanding the fundamentals of good nutrition and exercise, which include: